The present invention relates to vehicle occupant protection systems.
Occupant protection systems for use in vehicles are known in the art. One type of protection system includes an actuatable inflatable restraint module, which has an inflatable restraint that is commonly referred to as an air bag. A controller determines whether the air bag module is to be actuated to inflate the air bag within a vehicle occupant compartment. The air bag module is actuated by the controller upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition for which a vehicle occupant is to be cushioned by the air bag. For example, a sensor senses a vehicle condition indicative of a vehicle crash condition and, in response thereto, the air bag module is actuated.
In certain circumstances, even if the predetermined crash condition occurs, it may be preferable to refrain from actuating the air bag module (i.e., prevent inflation of the air bag). Specifically, if the occupant associated with the air bag module is at a location such that deploying the air bag will not enhance protection of the occupant, actuation of the air bag module does not occur.
One example in which an occupant is located such that deploying the air bag will not enhance protection of the occupant is when the occupant is very near the air bag module. Typically, an occupant who is very near the air bag module is referred to as being within an occupant out-of-position zone. Actuation of the air bag module for an occupant who is within the occupant out-of-position zone will not enhance protection of the occupant.
A protection system that provides for control of a protection system device (e.g., an air bag module) in response to a sensed occupant condition (e.g., occupant type and occupant location) is commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9csmartxe2x80x9d protection system. Smart protection systems control actuation of the associated protection system device (e.g., the air bag module), and may also control a deployment profile (e.g., timing and manner of deployment) of the device. For example, smart control of an air bag module can include control of the amount of inflation fluid used to inflate the air bag in response to sensed occupant location.
Control of such smart protection systems is associated with a rather larger volume of information processing and decision-making. In other words, a processor algorithm within smart protection systems can be rather complex. For example, a decision to deploy an air bag can depend on a plurality of factors such as crash severity, occupant size, occupant location, and occupant type (i.e., a large adult versus a child in an infant seat). In a staged, multilevel deployment system, the degree of deployment can also depend upon plurality of factors such as the above mentioned factors.
The information processed within a smart restraint system that is associated with the plurality of factors includes sensory signal information from several sources (e.g., sensors or sensor arrangements) at several locations. Examples of the variety of placed sensors that are used to provide sensory information in smart restraint systems include: crash deceleration sensors and crash safing sensors on a vehicle chassis, ranging sensors in an instrument panel and/or in a headliner, weight sensors in a seat or under a seat, and buckle sensors in a seat belt clasp.
Such sophisticated occupant protection systems have associated costs in terms of time and money to develop, manufacture, and install. First, the multiple sensor locations require an occupant protection system vendor, and particularly occupant sensing system personnel of the vendor, to interact with multiple responsible groups within a vehicle manufacturer. Examples of the groups with which an occupant protection system vendor must typically interact include an instrument panel group for panel mounted sensors, a headliner/overhead console group for overhead sensors, a seat group for seat mounted sensors, a chassis/body group for crash sensors, an styling/interior groups for many sensors and components, and so on. In terms of time and cost, an occupant protection system vendor has a considerable burden to work with and qualify an occupant protection system with all such groups.
In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides an arrangement for a vehicle having an actuatable occupant protection device. The arrangement includes a vehicle seat for a vehicle occupant. Sensor means of the arrangement is located within the seat and senses a characteristic that is indicative of a condition for which the protection device is to be actuated. Processor means of the arrangement is located within the seat. The processor means processes sensory information from the sensor means to determine the occurrence of the condition for which the protection device is to be actuated and outputs a signal indicative of the determination.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides an arrangement for a vehicle having an actuatable occupant protection device. The arrangement includes a vehicle seat for a vehicle occupant. The arrangement includes all components, which are contained within the seat, necessary for determining the occurrence of a vehicle condition for which the occupant is to be protected by the protection device and for controlling actuation of the occupant protection device.